MOBILIZING THE AFRICAN DIASPORA Reflections on the Digital Diaspora Initiative Presentation by Laketch Dirasse, President, ACTTP Inc. at the Migration and Development Series Seminar on Diasporas and development in conflict-affected countries, organized by UNITAR, IOM, UNFPA and McArthur Foundation. New York, 6 November 2007
FOCUS OF PRESENTATION Background on the Digital Diaspora Initiative: Why, What, Who, How, When and Where Achievements Key Lessons and recommendations: What worked What did not work
BACKGROUND ON THE DIGITAL DIASPORA INITIATIVE (DDI) WHY the Diaspora Many successful Africans in the Diaspora committed to contribute to development Many Diaspora entrepreneurs have successfully invested in their countries Africa s Brain Drain potentially a Brain Gain in a globalized and increasingly interconnected world
WHAT IS THE DDI DDI was started in January 2002 by UNIFEM that: recognized importance of ICT, innovative uses of new technologies, partnerships and constituencies successfully mobilized African Diaspora CEOs of IT companies convened a Global Advisory Committee (GAC) comprised of the Diaspora CEOs, representatives of the private sector and UN agencies adopted an innovative and catalytic approach to increase options and opportunities for women s economic and political empowerment
DDI OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES Objectives Mobilize and harness the IT and business expertise and financial resources of Africans in the Diaspora to promote women s economic security and rights Provide possibilities for African IT entrepreneurs in the Diaspora to benefit from new markets while participating in socially responsible economic development in Africa Expand options and opportunities offered by ICT for securing better livelihoods for African women Strategies: Advocacy to leverage political and financial support Building capacity and leadership of women s organizations Forging new synergies and partnerships Piloting innovative approaches Building an operational knowledge base
ACHIEVEMENTS Advocacy and Networking Facilitated participation of GAC member and women experts in Africa regional WSIS meeting Supported formation of WSIS Gender Caucus and facilitated its growth from a regional to a global caucus Supported formation of an E-Discussion Group of the Caucus that enhanced women s networking around the WSIS process Capacity building Horn of Africa Women s Knowledge Network (HAWKNET) forged in partnership with Info-Dev Multi-purpose empowerment centre set up in Somalia. Women empowered through IT and other relevant training Zimbabwe women benefit from the Women into the New Network of Entrepreneurial Reinforcement (WINNER) project Mainstreaming Gender mainstreamed in Rwanda IT policy and Technical Advisor attached to the Ministry of Gender Gender mainstreamed in Africa regional and the global WSIS processes
ACHIEVEMENTS Piloting Comprehensive programme proposal developed for piloting in eight countries First pilot implemented in Rwanda in partnership with UNDP and KIST and funded by government of Japan. Rwandese Diaspora experts provided technology transfer services Forging Strategic Partnerships MOU signed with ITU, UNDP, UN ICTTF Partnered UN ICTTF, Digital Partners and GRUPO CERFE in setting up and launching the Digital Diaspora Network Africa (DDNA) with chapters in North America and Europe Collaborated with UNDP, UNOSAA, UN ICTTF, UNFIP and government of Uganda for the Africa launch of the initiative in May 2003 in Kampala Catalyzed and forged synergetic partnership with NEPAD, 8 African governments (represented at Ministerial level), GAC members, WSIS Gender Caucus, DDNA, private sector and civil society groups at Kampala meeting Partnered the Nordic Group of Donors in managing a fund to support and strengthen the WSIS Gender Caucus
KEY LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHAT WORKED and could be up-scaled and replicated Recognizing African Diaspora as important resource (willingness to invest in Africa and share knowledge and skills) Mobilizing the African Diaspora (DDNA a committed group that merely requires UN s facilitation) Forging strategic partnerships and expanding constituency of support to propel development (e.g. GAC, donor partnerships, etc.) Policy advocacy and pilot project activities (success potential in an enabling policy context such as Rwanda) Facilitating multi-stakeholder groups (e.g. Gender Caucus and their advocacy, networking and coalition building activities) WHAT DID NOT WORK missed opportunities Settling for output level success: sustainability of the initiative required longer-term organizational commitment and investment of staff time Not convening periodic GAC meetings: continued Diaspora engagement and resource mobilization efforts compromised Abandoning promising efforts: Kampala Action Plan not implemented